NPS Discovery
ABOUT:
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, in collaboration with law enforcement, public health, and public safety agencies, is working towards the rapid identification of emerging drugs associated with intoxications and adverse events, including mass hospitalizations and death, and the rapid dissemination of information to stakeholders and effected communities. For questions or more information about this collaboration, please contact Dr. Barry Logan () or Alex Krotulski ().
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
NPS Symposium
We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to our distinguished guest-lecturers, presenters and attendees who contributed to the 2018 Symposium on Novel Psychoactive Substances in November 2018 – the first of its kind in the United States of America. Also a special thank you to our wonderful hosts at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, PA.
This two-day symposium was designated to highlight the current state of the NPS crisis in the United States by examining topics ranging from the manufacture and distribution, efforts at interdiction and disruption, understanding motivations for NPS use, and public health impacts in both emergency medicine and morgues.
For this symposium, an outstanding series of multidisciplinary panelists were assembled. The symposium design and panel discussions were structured to create an international forum that will foster an open dialogue regarding all aspects of the NPS phenomenon. The goals of the symposium included identification of the gaps regarding the communication, prioritization and cooperation on novel substance identification and fostering ideas for opportunities to improve dissemination strategies. Once again, we sincerely thank everyone who participated in this processes and we are eager to continue working together in the spirit of collaborative progress.
MJ Menendez at National Opioid Summit
On October 25th 2018 our good friend, MJ Menendez spoke at the National Opioid Summit hosted by the Justice Department. During her presentation, she gave us a mention for the work we are doing in the identification & discovery of NPS. To view her presentation on CSPAN (16:50), click .
PUBLIC HEALTH:
Santa Muerte Mass Overdose Outbreak
NEW NPS DISCOVERIES
Seized Material (S.M.)
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, in collaboration with NMS Labs and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) in the Department of Justice, has documented the first known reports of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in the United States through analysis of seized materials. These reports were generated using comprehensive analytical techniques (e.g. GC-MS, LC-QTOF, NMR) for identification of NPS listed below. These reports are intended to assist the forensic science community in the rapid identification of NPS in casework. For questions or more information about this collaboration, please contact Dr. Barry Logan ().
Biological Fluids (B.F.)
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, in collaboration with Temple University, NMS Labs, and the National Institute of 
Justice, has documented the first known reports of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in the United States through analysis of biological fluids. These reports were generated using comprehensive analytical techniques (e.g. LC-TOF, LC-QTOF) for identification of NPS listed below. These reports are intended to assist the forensic science community in the rapid identification of NPS in casework. For questions or more information about this collaboration, please contact Dr. Barry Logan ().
Last Updated 11/20/18. If you would like to be included on the distribution list for the reports of these emerging NPS, please email
CLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE SPREADSHEET
| Analyte | Sample Type | Date of Report | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Molecular Ion [M+] | Exact Mass [M+H]+ |
| 25E-NBOH | S.M. | 2/27/2018 | C19H25NO3 | 315.4 | 315 | |
| 4-MDEC | S.M. | 2/27/2018 | C14H21NO | 219.3 | 219 | |
| N-Acetyl 25I-NBOMe | S.M. | 2/27/2018 | C20H24INO4 | 469.3 | 469 | |
| Adamantyl-CHMINACA | S.M. | 3/20/2018 | C25H33N3O | 391.6 | 391 | |
| U-48800 | S.M. | 3/26/2018 | C17H24Cl2N2O | 343.29 | 342 | |
| ortho-Methylmethoxyacetylfentanyl | S.M. | 3/27/2018 | C23H30N2O2 | 366.5 | 366 | 367.238 |
| Despropionyl 3-Methylfentanyl | S.M. | 3/27/2018 | C20H26N2 | 294.43 | 294 | |
| Despropionyl ortho-Methylfentanyl | S.M. | 3/27/2018 | C20H26N2 | 294.43 | 294 | |
| 5Cl-AKB48 | S.M. | 4/10/2018 | C23H30ClN3O | 399.96 | 399 | |
| 5Br-AKB48 | S.M. | 4/10/2018 | C23H30BrN3O | 444.41 | 443 | |
| 5F-EDMB-PINACA | S.M. | 4/10/2018 | C21H30FN3O3 | 391.5 | 391 | |
| N-methyl Norfentanyl | S.M. | 4/10/2018 | C15H22N2O | 246.35 | 246 | |
| N-ethyl Hexylone | S.M. | 4/19/2018 | C15H21NO3 | 263.33 | 263 | |
| Benzylfuranylfentanyl | S.M. | 4/27/2018 | C23H24N2O2 | 360.45 | 360 | |
| 3,4-Dichloroethcathinone (DCEC) | S.M. | 5/4/2018 | C11H13Cl2NO | 246.1 | 245 | |
| Methylenedioxy-U-47700 | B.F. | 5/18/2018 | C17H24N2O3 | 304.4 | 304 | |
| Isopropyl-U-47700 | B.F. | 5/18/2018 | C18H26Cl2N2O | 357.3 | 356 | |
| Deschloro-N-ethyl Ketamine (O-PCE) | B.F. | 6/1/2018 | C14H19NO | 217.3 | 217 | |
| 5F-MDMB-PICA | B.F. & S.M. | 7/31/2018 | C21H29FN2O3 | 376.5 | 376 | |
| Tertylone | S.M. | 8/6/2018 | C14H19NO3 | 249.3 | 249 | |
| Eutylone | B.F. | 9/4/2018 | C13H17NO3 | 235.28 | 235 | |
| 2F-Deschloroketamine | B.F. | 9/4/2018 | C13H16FNO | 221.27 | 221 | |
| 3,4-Methylenedioxy-alpha-PHP (MDPHP) | B.F. | 9/4/2018 | C17H23FNO3 | 289.37 | 289 | |
| Phenylfentanyl | B.F. | 9/4/2018 | C26H28FN2O | 384.5 | 384 | |
| 5F-AB-PFUPPYCA | S.M. | 10/5/2018 | C20H26F2N4O2 | 392.44 | 392 | |
| para-Fluorocyclopropylbenzylfentanyl | S.M. | 10/5/2018 | C22H25FN2O | 352.4 | 352 | |
| Despropionyl para-Fluorobenzylfentanyl | S.M. | 10/5/2018 | C18H21FN2 | 284.4 | 284 | |
| 5Cl-AB-PINACA | S.M. | 10/5/2018 | C18H25ClN4O2 | 364.9 | 364 | |
| 4-CDMC | S.M. | 10/30/2018 | C11H14ClNO | 211.7 | 211 | |
| MFUBINAC | S.M. | 10/30/2018 | C16H13FN2O2 | 284.28 | 284 | |
| U-47931E | S.M. | 10/30/2018 | C15H21BrN2O | 325.2 | 324 |
TOOLS FOR IDENTIFYING NPS
The identification and characterization of NPS can often be complex and time consuming, but there are numerous resources available for laboratories looking to discover an unknown substance in casework. The below resources allow laboratory analysts to search for data corresponding to NPS identified and reported by other agencies or laboratories. Some resources are searchable by NPS name or formula, while others allow for direct spectra comparisons. Although these sources are extensive, newly emerging NPS may not be available. For questions about these resources or assistance with your identifications, please contact Alex Krotulski ().